The Philippine Online Chronicles

The State of the Nation Address (SONA) is the one time in the year when all lawmakers from around the country come together. Even former presidents, congressmen and senators no longer in office are present to welcome the President. Political wives come in all their finery, and even ambassadors and other members of the Diplomatic Corps are present. As the must be seen in political social climbing event of the year, a seat at this SONA is a highly coveted seat.

It then becomes glaringly obvious when the most recent president, Gloria Arroyo is absent for the very first SONA of her successor, President Noynoy Aquino. As a former President and current congresswoman of her district in Pampanga, Mrs. Arroyo’s presence should have been mandatory.

Under the weak excuse of being with her husband in Hong Kong for a medical checkup, her avoidance of P-Noy’s SONA can be construed as either a blatant disrespect for the current administration or acting on a sense of misplaced superiority. Perhaps GMA still thinks she is above the law and her actions as President have been so far above reproach that she did not deem it worth her time to be present at the SONA. It seems hard to imagine that Congresswoman GMA skipped the SONA out of embarrassment, since her presidency has always been marked by brazenness—in Tagalog, “makapal na naman sya, so ano pa ang ikakahiya nya?”

Of course, it can always be argued that the family was well represented at the SONA, so her presence would have been de trop. After all, with two sons (Camarines Sur First District Rep. Dato Arroyo and Party list representative of the tricycle drivers (what?!) Mikey Arroyo) and brother in law Negros Occidental Rep. Iggy Arroyo at the Batasan, there was certainly an ample number of Arroyos present. If Luli were so inclined, she probably would have run for office and won, too!

Since Estrada was under house arrest when GMA took office and delivered her first SONA, there really is no comparison.

What’s wrong GMA? Can’t face your actions? If you so hold your administration in high regard and feel that your actions have been transparent and truly in the best interests of the Filipino people, you would have taken your seat as any good congressional representative and listened to what the President had to say. Shouldn’t attendance to SONA be a basic respect you show your President? Goodness gracious, you couldn’t even stand to be in the same country as P-Noy!

Of course it would have been hard to sit down and listen to P-Noy lambast the Arroyo administration. It would have been hard to remain stone faced or poker faced when listening to the many anomalies and questionable handling of funds during the last six months of the past administration and midnight appointments. So what’s an ex-president and yet sitting representative to do?

It doesn’t speak well that the other absentees in the first P-Noy SONA is Chavit Singson’s son, Ilocos Sur Rep. Ronald Singson (another scandal, oh my!!!) and Jules Ledesma. Singson is currently languishing in a Hong Kong Jail after being charged with drug trafficking after being arrested for being in found of possession of cocaine. (You can’t make this stuff up, baby!). Ledesma, the LINA of Congress (Late if not Absent) was a no-show (nothing new, nothing new—he has never changed. Look at the attendance records in Congress).

As for the other representatives, this is probably the only time in the year wherein all Congressmen are accounted for (except for three). This shows the strong support of Pres. Aquino from the legislative. “Kahit na usisero lang, at least nandoon para makinig.” The Filipino people can only hope that when it comes to the plenary sessions, we see the same vigor and attendance from all elected representatives so that actual bills and resolutions may be passed.

Let’s wait and see how the drama unfolds. There will certainly be more presidential face-offs since Pres. Aquino seems hell bent on divulging the past adminstration’s corruption as part of handling his own presidency. So does this make GMA P-Noy’s Marcos?

We hope that when it comes time to face the music and answer inquiries about her administration’s actions, Mrs. Arroyo doesn’t make another Houdini and disappear.

So where in the world was GMA? Hiding! Her alibi was so weak! She could have thought of a more credible reason to be absent. Let’s see what she has to say when she comes out.

Abangan and susunod na kabanata!

Photo from Wikimedia. Some Rights Reserved.